Bernie
Ecclestone

Bernard Charles Ecclestone was born in 1930 in St Peter South Elmham, Suffolk, and grew up in Bexleyheath in south-east London. He began racing in 1949 in the 500cc Formula 3 series, competing mainly at his local circuit, Brands Hatch, where he took a number of good placings and the occasional win. After several accidents there he initially stepped away from driving.

In 1958 he entered two Connaught chassis for the Monaco Grand Prix. He got into one of the cars himself to check the complaints of his drivers, but he failed to qualify for the race. His World Championship record therefore consists of a single entry and no starts.

Away from the cockpit, Ecclestone remained closely involved in the sport. He managed Stuart Lewis-Evans and Jochen Rindt, who became World Champion posthumously in 1970. In the early 1970s he took over the Brabham team and ran it until the end of the 1987 season. Under his leadership the team won 22 races, and with Nelson Piquet it took the Drivers' Championship in 1981 and 1983. In 1974 he was among the founders of the Formula One Constructors' Association, the body representing the teams.

Source: Wikipedia, “Bernie Ecclestone”. Text licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.